When I began reading this book, based on the title, I was sure I could predict exactly what would happen...I was wrong. It was a relatively easy read which made reading quick. The more I read Eva's story the more I was invested in her story as for the MMC, Aston, I did not like him at all. I also did not like his father either. This is a small town, enemies to lovers that I enjoyed. I will look for other Kat T. Masen books to read in the future.

Thank you Net Galley, Kat T. Masen and Artia Books for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
How to Break My Heart is expected to be available Sept. 23, 2025.

2.25⭐

LIKED:
- I genuinely liked Eva. I thought she was well developed and her choices as a character made sense. I can understand why Aston liked her and why she was so easily liked by those around her (without her feeling like a Mary Sue).
- I really liked Eva’s relationship with her brother and how he would drop anything for her. It was nice.
- The depictions of Eva’s shop and her coworker(s) are really nice. I wish we got more insight into why she wanted to open a bakery, but oh well.
- Hot take, but I’m not against this type of cover. I really like the colors and the scenery is really nice. It’s simple. I can still imagine the characters however I want. So there.

LAMENTED:
- Why does she like this man? I can get her having a high school crush, best friend’s brother, etc. But like…he is a completely different character than he was in the initial flashback. He felt more like an evolution from his friend character from that chapter. It just felt really incongruous. To be somewhat fair, I’m not the biggest fan of this type of romance (it’s not a Dark Romance but it’s also not a rom-com or women’s lit. It’s just…guy is mean to girl and there’s added drama).
- The pacing of this book is like a sputtering car. Why are we ending a chapter and then picking up like five minutes before from the other character’s POV? We don’t need that. We don’t need to see the same chapter from the other POV. It was exhausting. Just keep things moving forward, ugh.
- Why does the doctor even exist?? He didn’t need to be there! It really sullied Eva’s character arc, even if I liked her overall.
- This is supposed to be a billionaire romance but it is not in the ways that people seek out. So they will be disappointed. It’s more of a playboy romance.
- The third act was so conflated for nothing. Who cares about so much of it. The only thing I did like was Maddy’s part in it all.
- The NAMES. Aston, Everleigh, Madelina, and so on and so forth. It’s like a 2010s elementary school classroom.
- What is this title. Where is there a broken heart. And How was it done. It’s just generic nothingness.

LONGED FOR:
- Aston to be fully developed and his emotional arc to make sense.
- The Pacing to not be so clunky with stepping back and restating the same chapter contents.
- Eva dating the doctor plotline to not exist.


How Long Do I Think They’ll Stay Together? : ABSOLUTELY not. This man is supposed to have never had a relationship because he’s a manchild and she deserves better and she will leave.

Will I read the next one? : More than likely not.

Wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I ended up not being able to put it down! Small town, best friend’s brother romance. Aston was a very broody MMC. Spicy! Overall I had a lot of fun reading.

Thank you for Atria and NetGalley for an ARC!

SPICY! 🌶️

Everleigh Woods, otherwise known as Eva, is living her dream life in Cinnamon Springs where she owns a cafe that is famous for their delectable donuts. Her best friend, Maddy, is getting married and asks Eva to set aside her strong dislike for her brother for the sake of her wedding. Maddy’s brother, Aston, broke Eva’s heart back in high school and she has never recovered. How is she going to spend so much time with this billionaire heartbreaker? But while Aston and Eva find themselves in the competition of their lives trying to make Maddy’s wedding special, they also discover that they have a powerful chemistry that is impossible to ignore.

I thought this was going to be a sweet, cozy romance based on the cover. My mistake! This book has a lot of spicy scenes which are not my thing since I primarily read thrillers. But if that is your thing, then add this to your TBR as this has just the right balance of romantic torment and tenderness and characters you will fall in love with.

Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on September 23, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

How to Break My Heart delivers a cozy yet steamy enemies-to-lovers romance full of small-town charm, sizzling tension, and second-chance sparks. Kat T. Masen balances sweet moments with plenty of heat, making this a fun and emotional read.

Eva was such a relatable heroine—grounded, hardworking, and completely at home in her donut-filled café. Aston, on the other hand, is the perfect grumpy billionaire: polished, frustrating, and impossible to ignore. Their banter was sharp, their chemistry undeniable, and their one steamy night in New York added the perfect edge to their slow-burning tension. I loved how their competition over wedding planning slowly shifted into genuine connection, all while highlighting Eva’s struggle between her cozy life in Cinnamon Springs and the complicated pull of her past with Aston.

That said, Aston’s character could’ve used a bit more depth early on—his emotional growth felt a little rushed toward the end. But once the wedding drama brought everything to a head, the payoff was worth it.

If you enjoy small-town romances with a mix of cozy vibes, laugh-out-loud banter, and big-city glamour, this book is a fun, heart-tugging ride. Perfect for fans of grumpy/sunshine and best friend’s brother tropes with just the right balance of sweet and spicy.

🩷 How to Break My Heart - Kat T. Masen 🩷
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
This little small town romance was everything 🙌🏻 I mean the name of the town is Cinnamon Springs, and the vibes were all there. The tension and banter between Eve and Aston was 👌🏻*chefs kiss*. Not to mention the face that Aston was Eve’s best friends brother 🤭 Highly recommend adding this one to your TBR if you’re a fan of small town romance, billionaire, grump x sunshine and best friends brother, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
✨How to Break my Heart is out 9/23✨

3.5 ⭐️ this book delivered a cozy yet emotional romance set in the charming town of Cinnamon Springs. At its heart is Eva, a donut café owner with a soft spot for quiet mornings and guarded emotions. Her world is upended when her best friend Maddy ropes her into wedding planning with none other than Aston Beaumont, Maddy’s billionaire brother and Eva’s high school heartbreak.

From their first interaction, the tension between Eva and Aston crackles with unresolved history and biting banter. Their dynamic leans heavily into the enemies-to-lovers trope, but what makes it sing is the emotional undercurrent: the pain of past rejection, the vulnerability of second chances, and the slow unraveling of defenses. Aston isn’t just the alpha male he presents but he’s also the boy who once broke Eva’s heart, now forced to reckon with the woman she’s become.

The small town setting adds a layer of intimacy and charm, grounding the high-stakes emotions in cozy familiarity. Cinnamon Springs feels lived-in, with quirky locals and warm details that make Eva’s world feel real. The forced proximity trope, thanks to wedding chaos, creates tension, and their steamy New York interlude adds spice without losing emotional depth.

I would have liked more insight into Aston’s transformation of emotional growth and family dynamics.

How to Break My Heart is perfect for fans of heartfelt second chances, protective older brothers, and romances that simmer before they burn. If you love your love stories with emotional stakes and small-town charm, this one’s worth the read.

Tropes:
• Best Friend’s Brother
• Enemies to Lovers
• Small Town Romance
• Forced Proximity

Thank you NetGalley and Kay’s publication for allowing me the opportunity to read and give my honest opinion on this E-arc.

**I received this as an ARC**

I enjoyed this book! I feel like the pacing is a little off and for 75% of the book, it follows typical romance book timelines (which is funny since the characters like to talk about reading romances), but the twists at the end are truly outstanding. I think the last 25% are where the authors style really shines through and makes this worth the read.

A steamy enemies-to-lovers romance as the bride’s brother and her best friend are forced to plan the wedding together. Definite chemistry. This was a so-so read for me mainly because none of the characters really won me over. Minor things about the characters bothered me which took some of the enjoyment away from the read. But if you If you like some spicy steamy scenes and a good enemies to lovers trope, then give this book a try.

“A cozy and steamy enemies-to-lovers romance following a café owner and her best friend’s billionaire brother as they’re forced to work together to plan the best wedding imaginable.”

This is my first Kat T. Masen book and I already can’t wait to read more. I definitely came for the tropes and I loved the “enemies to lovers” representation. The characters were great and I even loved the side characters and their dynamics.

A very special Thank You to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Kat T. Masen for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

💭My Thoughts💭
I have never read anything by Kat T. Masen and I was not disappointed. I thought that How to Break My Heart was a very good book. It was well written and had a good flow to the story.

Now, there was quite a bit of spicy content in this story, but for me it was done in a delightful way. Some books just write the spicy content where it can be cringy; but, the spicy level in this book was just right for me.

I enjoyed the character of Eva because she was strong for herself and for others, knew how to standup for what she thought was right, and was a good friend. The biggest flaw I had for Eva is that although she was a good friend, she didn’t take time to make sure she was doing okay. I could sometimes relate with how she treated relationships, and wanted to cautious with her heart.

I also enjoyed the MMC of Aston, granted he could be frustrating as well. Throughout the book you could see how his character was evolving little by little. Although character could seem like an ass, he was loyal to his family and protective of the women in his life. Throughout the book I was rooting for him to put his big boy pants on and stand up for himself.

I am a reader who loves character descriptions so that while I’m reading I can try and picture the character and form a mental movie of what is happening. For How to Break My Heart I thought there could be a little more character descriptions, I had a hard time picturing the character to fully immerse myself in the story. This is what made me give the book 4.5 stars.

If you like some spicy steamy scenes and a good enemies to lovers trope, then this is a good book for you!

This was my first book by this author, and unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. The prologue was cringy, the romance felt forced, and I couldn’t root for either Eva or Aston. Their “enemies-to-lovers” tension is based on a single teenage kiss, which didn’t feel like enough to drive years of animosity or sudden lifelong love. Who is so bent out of shape for YEARS from one random teenage kiss that came out of nowhere?! No one normal! Aston came across more arrogant and creepy than charming, while Eva frustrated me by dropping a genuinely sweet guy for the toxic option. I didn't like either of the main characters which doesn't bode well for anything. With clunky dialogue, half-baked tropes, and side characters I couldn’t stand (except Billie, who deserved way more page time), this read more like a checklist of trends than a heartfelt story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Love the title and cover. Very beautiful and eyecatching cover 💛


I really enjoyed the summary and playlist .

I really liked how Eva ( Everleigh ) interacted with Aston and her young need to experience things and feel love in the prologue.

“ I’m far from a mean girl but if some befriends me just to get with my brother, the gloves are off and the claws will be out “

Eva’s friend Maddy had said to her about her brother and was mad when Penelope was into her brother .

Eva’s heart was shattered when Aston left for London and I felt for her .

I loved the present day cozy vibes of Eva owning a cafe in cinnamon springs 💛

I liked the small town cosy finds, second chances, rich ‘ bad boy. ‘ vibes

Sadly, this book wasn’t for me. I found myself actively rooting for Eva to get together with absolutely anyone other than Aston.

I just really hard a hard time rooting for her to end up with the asshole playboy who disappeared for 8 years after he kissed kissed her and she professed her feelings for him. The same guy who, after 8 years, loses his mind at the sight of her flirting with a man when we get a description of him hooking up with another woman right before?

No because seriously what? Justice for Eva, I’m sorry you got stuck with this asshole. PSA that the billionaire and grumpy tropes only works if the character is likable with redeeming qualities. I also didn’t love the constant call out to romance book tropes happening within this book.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.

This book checked off a lot of the tropes I enjoy in a steamy romance.
It has close proximity, best friend's rich brother, small town, cafe owner, enemies (kinda) to lovers. Aston is your typical billionaire who would do anything for his family, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness. Eva is a headstrong, independent cafe owner and just wants to live a quiet life.
The lengths that Aston would go to ensure Eva is happy and safe is sooooo good. The spicy scenes were SPICY.
Thank you Atria Books for sending me a gifted copy!

This book surprised me! I saw other reviews before I started this ARC. I started it and I immediately was intrigued. Once I got 20% in I was HOOKED! I could not put this book down. I work full time and have two kids, so for me to go from 25% to finished in 3 days speaks for itself.

Thank you Net Galley and Kat for this ARC with my honest review.

Now to the important parts! I LOVE ASTON and Everleigh! Loved that he refused to call her Eva! 🥰 I also loved that he never wanted anyone like her. It was such a beautiful story. I am actually struggling to put it into words. I DEVOURED their story! The 3rd act break up was needed. As someone who had my own 3rd act break up before my now husband told me he loved me I FEEL THIS IN MY BONES!

I struggled with this one. The writing was hard to follow for me and I felt confused half the time. The storyline was great but the writing failed to captivate me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC.

When Eva’s best friend enlists her help in planning a wedding in just one month, she’s paired with the last person she expected—Aston, her best friend’s brother and the boy she once shared a single teenage kiss with before he vanished from her life. Now a billionaire returning to their small town, Aston stirs up old feelings Eva thought she’d buried, forcing them to face whether that spark still has a chance to burn.

Tropes you’ll find:

Best friend’s brother

Small town romance

Billionaire hero

This book was a quick, enjoyable read with a charming small-town setting and a premise that drew me in. I found Eva and Aston’s dynamic interesting, especially as old feelings resurfaced, although they are both a little immature. While the tension between the leads didn’t hit as strongly as I hoped, the story sets up the series nicely. Overall, it’s a solid start, and I’m curious to see how the next book develops these relationships.

What a great story. I was rooting for Everleigh from the beginning. What a great best friend to Maddy and a few others in the town. Cinnamon Springs sounds like a great place to grow up and then to live. Spending so much time trying to make Maddy’s wedding pull of without a hitch while running her own donut store. Which is a dream of mine. Well being the taste tester of the new donuts for the shop. Anyways, this book was such a fun read. I couldn’t stop turning the pages, I wanted more and more of this story.

I would highly recommend this book.

I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced reader copy and this is my honest opinion.

This was a cute, low stakes, best friend’s older brother, forced proximity, secret dating, small town, billionaire romance. And yeah, I’m aware that’s a lot of tropes and it seems daunting, but it’s done incredibly well. The pacing is great, the possessiveness coming off of our MMC is deliciously palpable, and the whole town gives off Stars Hollow vibes. This one should definitely make its way to your tbr!